Vintage "El Mandarino" or "Chino" Ethnographic Used Matachine Dance Mask. Moreno

Description

14" x 8"
Many know the village of "Mata Ortiz" as the center for beautifully made pottery, made famous by Juan Quezada.
In additional to pottery, Mata Ortiz has an active ceremonial life which includes "Matachine dances" on various Saint's days and other occasions.
The master of these ceremonies is called "el viejo de la danza." Manuel Moreno was in charge of the dances in Mata Ortiz for many years.
Moreno himself carved masks and approximately 20 years ago he retired and passed the collection to his son.
Unfortunately his son does not carve or make masks so the viejos de la danza now wear rubber Halloween type masks. (Sad).
No one else in the pueblo carves masks.
This mask is one of Manuel's that was used by him while director the Matachine dances before he retired.
Believed to made from cottonwood. (Very Light)
It has foam attached to make the mask feel more comfortable while wearing. Those wood has been sanded, the nose area is well carved.
Very nice ethnographic item, no longer made or used.
It is clearly depicting a person of Asian decent. Perhaps mixed, given the
Dermatosis Papulosa Nigra:
small, benign,
skin lesions
on the face that are seemingly being depicted.
This a condition generally presenting on dark-skinned individuals. (Think: Morgan Freeman)
Nose is broad yet, flat and not pointed
I know that in Veracruz they would call a mask with Asian features "el mandarino", meaning Mandrin in english. Which i would think is really referencing asians by way of the Mandrin dialect?
I've seen at least one asian looking Mexican mask (from Guerrero) referenced as "Viejo" which doesnt seem to fit since it means "old" in english
In Mata Ortiz, they have masks they call "Chinos" which look Asian. I think the reference and reason goes back to when the Chinese worked on the railroad system in the U.S. and MX.
A couple of pictures of Manual are attached at the end of the series. There is also one showing the rubber mask wearing youth today.
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